Latrobe woman accused of taking $28K from Hempfield employer

County detectives arrested a Latrobe woman on Tuesday in connection with a $28,000 theft from the Hempfield trucking and glass recycling firm where she worked last year, according to court papers.

Robin M. Poole, 60, paid her personal bills and made checks out to herself by forging the names of Bradish Logistics officials, investigators said. She is charged with theft, receiving stolen property, forgery and dealing in proceeds of unlawful activity.

Poole no longer works at the company, Detective Will Brown said.

A company official contacted detectives in September after a routine review of accounts showed a suspicious transaction involving Poole, who was office secretary, according to court papers. Investigators said bank records showed that about $2,500 was directed to payments for natural gas and television service between November 2020 and August.

Fourteen checks worth about $26,000 were made out to Poole between April and September, according to court papers. The checks were deposited into an account at a Latrobe credit union.

When detectives confronted Poole with the forged checks, she said she intended to repay the money that she used for household bills and family expenses, according to court papers.

Brown said Bradish officials were looking over accounts to see if any additional money was missing.

Defense attorney Allen Roth declined to comment. Poole was freed on a recognizance bond. A preliminary hearing is set for Feb. 8.